Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed a low-power chip for processing 3D camera data. Using the device, the MIT team built a prototype of a complete navigation system for the visually impaired.

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology researchers have used mechanical stimulation to “train” cardiac cells to beat at a given rate. Direct physical contact with the cardiac cells is not required to synchronize their beating.

University of Michigan researchers have built and tested neural probes that hold what are believed to be the smallest implantable LEDs ever made. The new probes control and record the activity of many individual neurons, measuring how changes in the activity of a single neuron can affect its neighbors. The team anticipates that the technologies could lead to breakthroughs in understanding and treating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

New research from the University of Southampton could lead to advanced treatments to prevent blockages and urinary tract infections experienced by many long-term catheter users. Using an imaging technique called episcopic differential interference contrast (EDIC) microscopy, researchers from the University of Southampton identified four clear stages to the development of a crystalline biofilm that causes encrustations and subsequent blockage.

Engineers at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (Fort Worth, TX) and The University of Washington (Seattle, WA) have developed a healing glove that delivers needed medicine to an injured hand. The device, known as the Bioengineered Smart-Glove for Regenerative Healing of Extremity Trauma, speeds up recovery and rehabilitation time.

Nerve damage is often permanent, and according to the Mayo clinic, regrowth of nerves is very rare. A 3D-printed guide built by University of Minnesota researchers regrows both the sensory and motor functions of complex nerves after injury.

A team of Johns Hopkins University scientists discovered that noninvasive brain stimulation temporarily improves motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The Johns Hopkins study also revealed that people with Parkinson's disease are still capable of making quick, forceful movements even though most of their movements are slower and less intense than usual.

An improved blood cleansing device from Harvard University's Wyss Institute mimics the actions of the spleen. The sepsis treatment technology cleanses pathogens and toxins from blood circulating through a dialysis-like circuit.

An implant built by Stanford University engineers produces light to stimulate nerves of the brain, spinal cord, or limbs in mice. The technology is powered wirelessly, using the mouse's own body to transfer energy. Scientists will use the new optogenetic nerve stimulation methods to investigate a wider range of scientific questions, including how to relieve tremors in Parkinson's disease.

A University of Houston engineer has received funding to create a pediatric exoskeleton, designed to help children with spinal cord injuries and other mobility disorders. The exoskeletons will be customized to grow as the child grows.

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MDB - INSIDE STORY

Christopher Scott

To find out more about the expertise that Eurofins brings to this area, and the company's plans for expansion into the United States, Medical Device Briefs recently spoke with Christopher Scott, vice president of Eurofins Medical Device Testing.